Newsom signed Senate Bill 1255 on Sept. 30. The measure establishes the California Hispanic-Serving Institution designation for campuses in the University of California, California State University and California Community Colleges systems, as well as eligible independent institutions. The designation is intended to recognize campuses that excel at providing academic resources to Latino students.
The state designation will require institutions to submit an application demonstrating their commitment to Latino student success. That application must include academic and academic-equity goals, as well as a five-year strategic plan. Among other requirements, campuses must describe outreach to Latino students; academic and basic-needs support; planned resource allocations; culturally relevant professional development for faculty and staff; culturally responsive coursework, including ethnic studies; and research addressing the experiences and needs of Latino populations.
Institutions also must provide student-outcome data. Depending on the type of institution, that includes retention, graduation, degree and certificate completion, yield and transfer rates, with data reported for Latino students as well as the overall student population. A renewal application must demonstrate progress toward the institution’s academic and equity goals and implementation of its strategic plan. Each designation is valid for five academic years.
The legislation does not automatically attach funding to the designation. The statute establishes the program and governing structure “upon appropriation,” meaning future state funding would require an appropriation.
Sen. Eloise Gómez Reyes, D-Colton, who authored the bill, said the designation is intended to recognize campuses “doing the hard work to close opportunity gaps and help Latino students thrive in college and beyond.” She said the designation would “shine a light on what works” and encourage continued investment in student success.
The HSI designation builds on California’s existing Black-Serving Institution framework, created in 2024. The state approved 31 campuses for initial BSI designation in December 2025. Like the HSI model, the BSI framework looks beyond enrollment and includes measures related to institutional commitment, student outcomes, representation and belonging, curriculum and student support.
California’s approach therefore creates a state mechanism for identifying institutions not simply by whom they enroll, but by the structures and practices they use to serve those students. The state says the designation is intended to complement, rather than replace, existing federal HSI designations.
